Norma

Norma, who is 51, is married to Ervin, with whom she has 3 children. Only one of the children, Lisbet, who is 5, lives with them and they raise and educate her in their own home which is situated in a village in the central rainforest. Norma is a remarkable woman. A year and a half ago she lost a large quantity of goods due to flooding, but managed to scrape together enough money not only to rebuild her home but also to reopen her drinks, foodstuffs and ready-meals business. "Selling fizzy drinks and beer is profitable, since the heat in this region is suffocating, particularly at weekends", she comments. But that is not the only service which Norma provides; she also sells pre-ordered meals, particularly breakfasts and lunches, to local teachers and workers. Her efforts have enabled her to provide a decent education for her children. Her ambitions are to increase her sales, which will mean investing in the purchase of merchandise to stock her stall. This is her 13th loan from MFP, so she is committed to make her repayments punctually. She says that she likes working with her communal bank, "Luz del futuro" (Light of the future), on account of the wholehearted support which she receives from her colleagues. She will use the loan to buy crates of beer, fizzy drinks and other foodstuffs to stock her shop and will also purchase supplies for the preparation of the food which she serves.